FC Barcelona brings 112 years of success to Sun Life Stadium to face Chivas

August 1, 2011|By Dave Brousseau, Sun Sentinel

If Hans Gamper, the founder of FC Barcelona, were alive today he would probably marvel at the accomplishments at one of the world's all-time great soccer clubs.

The 112-year history and glamour of Barcelona is like wrapping the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Lakers and Pittsburgh Steelers into one super team. Barcelona has won 16 international competitions, most recently the UEFA Champions League for the fourth time in May.

Perhaps not since the Beatles' first arrival in South Florida in 1964 has there been so much anticipation of a first glimpse of a European visitor.

Barcelona will make its first appearance here at a friendly against Chivas (CD Guadalajara) in a Herbalife World Football Challenge match on Wednesday at Sun Life Stadium at 8 p.m. It's the first meeting between the two clubs since 2008.

Chivas is a past champion of Mexico's First Division, the CONCACAF Champions Cup and finished second in South America's Copa Libertadores.

With little more than 60,000 tickets already sold, the match is likely to set the record for the largest crowd to see a soccer match in South Florida. The current record was set at 57,724, when Colombia defeated AC Milan in the Orange Bowl in May 1994.

Some of the greatest players to step on the pitch have donned the Barca jersey. From Joseph Samatier during the teams Golden Era in the 1920s to Ladislao Kubala, who once scored seven goals on one game and Paulino Alcantara, who has a team-record 356 goals.

Within the last decade, Barcelona has re-established itself as one of the world greatest teams with players such as Ronaldinho, Thierry Henry, David Villa and, of course, Lionel Messi, who will not be available for Wednesday's match

"We're on one of the best teams in the world if not the best, and it's never easy," said Villa, who scored 23 goals last season. "You have to fight to achieve things. We had it [competition] last year, and we have it this year and we'll always have it. We're playing at Barça."

Manager Pep Guardiola confirmed Monday afternoon that star players Xavi Hernández and Gerard Piqué are expected to see their first minutes of preseason against Chivas.

Barcelona will also be without midfielder Ibrahim Affelay for Wednesday's match. The 25-year-old Netherlands international tore a muscle in his left thigh during a 2-1 loss to Manchester United in Washington D.C. last Saturday. … Adriano rejoined Barcelona on Monday after his time off following Copa America.

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Fort Lauderdale Strikers forward Brian Shriver was named NASL Player of the Week following his two goals in a 3-0 win over Edmonton last Saturday.